This company’s zone 1 remote I/O system excom has been optimized for use in zone 2, and the system functions have been expanded with new firmware and a new device-type manager (DTM). With the help of the new firmware and DTM, the excom system and the connected field instrumentation can be put into operation without prior connection to the process control system. This allows validated operation and connection between the field installation and the control technology and eliminates potential sources of error from the beginning. — Hans Turck GmbH & Co. KG, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany